American's managers may fill in if flight attendants strike

American Airlines Inc. has told the Federal Aviation
Administration that it may train management employees to replace
flight attendants in case of a strike.

American said Tuesday that such contingency planning is normal
in the airline industry during contract talks.

"We are committed to the mediation process, and our top
objective remains reaching an agreement with the APFA [Association
of Professional Flight Attendants] on a contract for our flight
attendants," American spokeswoman Missy Latham said.

"We are also focused on the needs of our operation and will be
proactive and responsible in working to coordinate an approved
contingency training program, should it be necessary."

The flight attendants' union had no comment Tuesday.

FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said airline officials brought up
the possibility of using replacements in recent weeks but did not
say they would definitely do so.

"There hasn't been anything official filed other than our normal
back-and-forth with the airline," Lunsford said. "They said things
were not progressing as they hoped, and one of the options that
they were considering was training management as flight
attendants."

Union president Laura Glading told members she would ask the
National Mediation Board to declare an impasse if "lockdown"
negotiations Jan. 11-21 failed to bring a new contract.

However, when the talks ended without a deal, mediator Zachary
Jones told American and the union to return to the bargaining table
Feb. 27-March 3 in Washington, D.C.

Lunsford said American put 1,300 people through accelerated
training before the union's strike Nov. 18-22, 1993.

"It met all our regulatory requirements, but it lacked customer
service items," such as how to serve beverages or meals, he
said.

The curriculum is still usable today, with updates as needed,
Lunsford said.

Under the Railway Labor Act, neither management nor a union can
engage in "self-help" without the mediation board's approval. The
board would first have to declare an impasse in the talks and
proffer binding arbitration to both parties.

If either side rejected arbitration, the board would start a
30-day cooling-off period.

During such periods, the board typically calls the warring
parties in for last-minute talks aimed at averting a walkout. But
if the cooling-off period expires, either side can take actions,
such as a lockout by the airline or a strike or other work actions
by the union.

Bloomberg News first reported that American may train management
as flight attendants.

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.